Getting around South African Roots Resources

Question

I am just starting out using the WikiTree systems and I have much work to do on my family's South African roots.  Researching my English and Welsh ancestry over the years has been so easy compared to researching the South African roots I have.  I see that good work has been done on the transcription of the vast amount of information available on microfiche, but the indexing is far from complete.  Thus we are having to page through images, which can be a daunting task...  I just wonder if we could stimulate a little bit of discussion here concerning the use of the magnificent resources available to us by the South African Roots Project.  A few tips on where to look for material, I am sure, would be most welcome. Not sure if I am speaking for myself here  Also, perhaps some of the more seasoned researchers could give a few tips on their modus operandi in searching, using the Resources available.
Andrew Field

Comments

Have you reviewed this page?:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:South_African_Roots/Sources

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Yes... all I am asking is for a few handy tips in navigating those resources...

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Hi Andrew. Ask a specific question of what you would like to have help with or what you are trying to research. Maybe through that replies you will have examples to learn your way around. You might as well keep it in this thread and just add your Questions to the answers below as separate answers

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Thank Louis...  Let me spend a little more time experimenting with this and then at the risk of boring some I will relate my experiences.  I am a big believer in learning by doing...  Thanks everyone for the tips thus far, this is enough to set me going.

"I shall hunt them down, and... well, record them with sources"

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I have been attempting to find the antecedents of Christiaan Frederick Pietersen and in this course I found his namesake, whom I have cofirmed is his son, thus a brother to my wife's grandfather Petrus Johannes Jacobus Pietersen.  I negotiated my way around Probate records (TAB) and the found Christiaan junior's christening in Vryburg on 3 October 1879... Happy days, I have found an uncle.

Now can someone interpret for me who the names are, below the Father and the mother...  When Loius Heyman found PJJ Pietersen I assumed the two names below Father and Mother were grand parents - clearly wrong, because CP Pietersen should have the same grand parents.

Please see the image

Andrew

Christening of CF Pietersen

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Those two were witnesses to the baptism. Sometimes they were a married couple sometimes one witness from the father's family and one from the mother's family

Answer 1

Hi andrew, Yes that is a good question. Likewise I too am just starting out with South African research and it is very difficult indeed, as you mentioned a lot of the requires paging through records. There are some places but they also don't contain all the records family search I'm sure you know and then there is Eggsa that has BMD church records and newpaper probate etc.

Answer 2

Lets start with baptismal records. 

On the page Julliane marked:

1: Go to Indeks for baptismal records part 

Find your family member under the year and surname.

This will give you the place of birth - book number and  page  for the entry you are looking for.

Make a list of all and send me a private messages with this information and I will send you the links to the baptismal records if they are available.

2: Death

Go to the  National Archives of South Africa part  Click on New Nairs. 

Enter your information in the search box and look at all the entries until you find your family. Now- watch the Video Mathew made.  and you are set to find your family members. Part of  the Death Notice sometimes contain other information as well so do page  and see what is on offer.

I will send you a private list of all the links should you need them. Just send me a private message please. 

Marriages in South Africa is not very available at the moment but the baptismal and Death notice will keep you busy until they arrive :-) 

Good luck and happy hunting

Do ask if I can be of more assistance. I am always happy and available to help. 

 

Comments

Thanks Ronel... that's a great lead in and I shall follow this.  Much appreciated.